Tar Heel fans won’t have to miss any of UNC basketball’s exhibition action

The wait to see the new-look UNC basketball program in action is almost over, and Tar Heel fans won’t miss a second, with all three exhibition contests set to be televised.

UNC reveals tip-off times and TV information for its exhibition contests

Whether you're able to go to the game or watching from the comfort of your home, you will be able to get an early glimpse of this year's squad ahead of the start of the 20026-2027 season.

North Carolina unofficially opens the Michael Malone era on October 9, when it takes on USC in Greensboro. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 PM, and the game will be televised on the ACC Network.

Nine days later, the Tar Heels will travel to Indianapolis for a battle with the Hoosiers, with the game set to start at 5:00 PM. Of the three exhibition games, this is the only contest without official television information yet.

The Tar Heels' final preseason tune-up against Wes Miller and the Charlotte 49ers at the Dean Smith Center will be a 7:30 PM tip-off on ACC Network Extra on October 27, just five days before the start of the 2026-2027 regular season.

Why does it matter that exhibition games are being televised? Well, when it comes to this year's team, there's a lot of new faces who fans should be anxious to see in action.

Not only are their new faces on the court, but some roaming the sidelines, including Malone who is set to begin his first season as the program's head coach. While North Carolina will likely experiment with different looks and lineup combinations, we should also get a little taste of the type of system Malone intends on running with this group.

We've heard all offseason about the additions to this year's roster, ranging from Terrence Brown, Matt Able and Neoklis Avdalas to Maximo Adams, Sayon Keita and Kevin Thomas. Now, we'll finally get a chance to see all of these guys in action in a game setting, seeing what they can do as a collective unit.

Sure, no one is expecting them to come out of the gate looking like a well-oiled machine, but we will get a better idea of what this team's strengths and potential weaknesses will be.

With the way college athletics has changed, it's becoming the norm for rosters to look completely different on a yearly basis. North Carolina, following a head coaching change, is no exception, as these exhibition games will serve as viable tests for Malone and his staff to analyze ahead of the start of this new era of Carolina basketball.

Exhibition games haven’t always been the easiest contests for fans to follow, but that won’t be an issue this time around. No matter which of the three matchups you’re interested in, you'll have a way to watch the Tar Heels take the floor.

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